Court Orders Insurer to Pay for Ant Damage to Car Battery
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
A court ordered Agricultural Insurance to pay NIS 19,452 plus interest and legal fees to a car owner whose Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid sustained damage from ants and ant eggs. The insurer initially disputed coverage for the high-voltage battery, but the court ruled the ant infestation was an "accident of any kind" covered by the comprehensive policy. The judge criticized the insurer's handling of the claim and the conduct of its expert witness.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Agricultural Insurance must pay NIS 19,452 plus interest and fees for ant damage to a Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid.
- Ants and ant eggs infiltrated the car's battery control unit, causing a short circuit and significant damage.
- The court ruled the ant infestation was an "accident of any kind" covered by the comprehensive insurance policy.
- The insurer disputed coverage for the high-voltage battery, but the court found the car only worked after its replacement.
- The judge criticized the insurer's expert witness and the company's handling of the claim, citing undue burden on the policyholder.
- The plaintiff was represented by attorney Gad Liebman.
A district court has ruled that the Agricultural Insurance Company must pay tens of thousands of shekels for damage caused to a Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid by ants and ant eggs that infiltrated its battery control unit. The ruling, which accepted the plaintiff's claim "in its decisive part," mandates the insurer to pay the sum plus linkage and interest from December 2022, along with court fees and legal expenses.
The incident began in June 2022, two years after the car's purchase, when a warning light illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to the insurer's designated garage, where it was discovered that ants and ant eggs had entered the battery's control computer, causing a short circuit. The insurer paid for the control computer, amounting to NIS 6,747, but disputed responsibility for the high-voltage battery itself.
During the legal proceedings, the insurer argued that the event was not covered by the policy. However, in an interim decision, Judge Keren Wecksler determined that the ant infestation qualified as an "accident of any kind," thus falling under the comprehensive insurance coverage. Following the presentation of evidence, the court considered findings from the designated garage, the importer's garage, and an appraiser, as well as the fact that the Hyundai only resumed operation after the battery was replaced.
The judge criticized the insurer's expert witness, who suggested that garages might reuse faulty batteries in other vehicles. The court dismissed this theory as baseless and damaging to the expert's objectivity. The ruling also admonished the insurance company for its conduct post-incident, stating that insurance policies are meant to provide peace of mind, not create undue burdens for policyholders.
Ultimately, the court ordered Agricultural Insurance to pay the plaintiff NIS 19,452 for direct damages, plus linkage and interest from December 12, 2022. Additional awards included NIS 812 for court fees, NIS 3,000 for expert witness fees and other expenses, and NIS 6,000 for attorney's fees.
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